Urban Mixed Use (UMU) Zoning District Prepared by the City of Titusville Community Development Department
Contents Purpose... 3 Background... 3 History of the Urban Mixed Use Zoning Classification... 4 Land Use and Zoning Amendments... 5 Existing Conditions... 8 Next Steps... 10 Page 1 of 10
Figure 1. Location and Aerial Map Page 2 of 10
Purpose On April, 26, 2016, Council directed the staff to initiate changes to the Urban Mixed Use zoning classification. This document serves as a report of the background of the area encompassed by the zoning classification, development types in the area, history of the classification, and an overview of conceptual changes needed to solve the ongoing issues in the area. A location and aerial map is illustrated by Figure 1 on the previous page. Background The Urban Mixed Use (UMU) zoning classification encompasses approximately 53 acres of property west of downtown. The area currently designated with the UMU zoning classification is generally bound by the Coast to Coast Connector and Orange Street to the north, the Florida East Coast railroad to the east, Pine Street to the south, and Park Avenue to the west. See Figure 1 for an aerial image including the boundaries of the UMU zoning district. The UMU zoning classification currently allows for a mix of uses including residential, commercial, and existing industrial. The zoning code limits new commercial uses to only those properties adjacent to an intersection of Park Avenue or Deleon Avenue and a cross street. Industrial use are limited to properties that were occupied by active industrial uses prior to December 8, 2009, and expansion of industrial uses may only be permitted if the current property owner was the owner of the property prior to December 8, 2009. Residential uses including, single-family, multifamily, and townhomes are allowed in any area of the UMU zoning classification. There are 154 lots within the UMU zoning classification. Of the 154 total parcels, 125 are developed, 26 are privately owned vacant properties, and 3 are City owned vacant properties. Based on data obtained from the Brevard County Property Appraiser, the oldest structure was constructed in 1901, and the newest in 2011. Many of the properties, 81 in total, were developed in 1960 or earlier. The streets in this area form a traditional north-to-south, east-to-west grid similar to the street pattern in the downtown area. The Titusville portions of the Coast-to-Coast trail including the Garden Street Bridge were recently completed. The trail will connect with the Max Brewer Bridge via a cycle-track on Main Street. The trail is adjacent to the northern border of the UMU zoning boundary and will connect with Main Street near the eastern border of the UMU zoning boundary. The Coast-to-Coast trail will connect the east and west coasts of Florida. The trail terminates on the west coast in St. Petersburg and in Titusville on the east coast. The trail is a total of approximately 250 miles in length and passes through Clermont, Winter Garden, and the Orlando metropolitan area in central Florida. The UMU zoning classification was introduced into the Land Development Regulation update in 1992 as a new zoning classification. Since the introduction of the UMU zoning classification, there have been on-going compatibility issues with uses existing prior to the adoption of the zoning, and allowable uses within the zoning classification. Previous amendments have removed some properties from the original boundaries of the UMU zoning classification, and amended the original language of the zoning classification to limit the areas in which certain uses are permitted. Page 3 of 10
History of the Urban Mixed Use Zoning Classification In 1992, the City adopted a complete revision to the Land Development Regulations (LDRs). The purpose of this revision was to update the City s original zoning code, which was adopted in the 1960 s. The UMU zoning classification was adopted as part of that revision to the LDRs, and was a completely new zoning classification. The purpose of this zoning district was to allow a variety of uses within one zoning classification. This newly created zoning district allowed for a variety of residential, commercial, and industrial uses. Allowable residential uses included single-family homes, townhomes, duplexes, and other multifamily dwellings. Commercial uses allowed included retail food markets, business, personal and professional services, motels/hotels, and other similar uses. Allowable industrial uses included mechanical service and repair; wholesale; warehouse; storage uses; and building trades services. The original regulations in the zoning classification were suburban in nature, and caused many of the existing structures to become nonconforming. The original regulations required setbacks for all types of residential of 25 feet for front and rear yards, and 10 feet for side yards. As more than half of the properties within this zoning classification were developed before 1960 and the original implementation of zoning in the City, these newly adopted regulations did not adequately accommodate existing development without the need for variances when properties were modified. In addition, many of the platted lots in the area did not meet the minimum lot sizes required in the regulations of the new zoning classification. Page 4 of 10
Land Use and Zoning Amendments Land Use Text Amendment The Comprehensive Plan has a land use designation that coincides with the UMU zoning classification. Prior to 2005, this future land use designation could only be placed within the boundary for the UMU zoning classification. In 2005, the City drafted and adopted a text amendment to the Future Land Use Element of the Comprehensive Plan to amend the Urban Mixed Use future land use designation. This amendment removed the geographic limitations on the land use designation, and eliminated industrial uses as being allowable within the land use district. This land use amendment also introduced the Planned Unit Development Future Land Use designation, and similar zoning classification. Adjustment to the Urban Mixed Use Boundaries The original boundaries of the UMU zoning classification were originally Orange Street to the north, the Florida East Coast railroad to the east, Pine Street to the south, and Park Avenue to the west. Figure 2 below illustrates the original boundaries of the UMU zoning classification that were applied during the city-wide administrative rezoning in 1993. Figure 2. Original UMU Boundaries The original boundaries of the UMU zoning classification included multiple properties between Orange Street and the former railroad right-of-way, which is now the Coast-to-Coast connector. Industrial uses occupy many of the properties north of the former railroad right-of-way; and with the amendment to the future land use district, the uses on those properties became nonconforming. Page 5 of 10
To address the issue of nonconforming uses, staff initiated a Comprehensive Plan Amendment and rezoning on approximately 17 acres of property north of the former railroad right-of-way and south of Orange Street. The purpose of this amendment was to apply appropriate future land use and zoning classifications on those properties that better aligned with an industrial land use and zoning. Figure 3, below, illustrates the properties that were rezoned and illustrates how the boundaries of the UMU zoning classification were amended. This amendment was adopted in 2009. Since that time, no other properties zoned UMU have been rezoned. Figure 3. Properties Rezoned in 2009 Amendment to the Urban Mixed Use Land Development Regulations The original zoning regulations implemented for the UMU zoning classification in the 1992 rewrite of the LDRs did not include development standards for non-residential uses. This lack of specification required non-residential uses to meet the same standards as residential uses. In 2009, to coordinate with the Comprehensive Plan Amendment to amend the boundaries of the future land use and zoning district, and to implement the previous Comprehensive Plan Amendment to the future land use designation in 2005, staff drafted an amendment to the zoning classification. This amendment focused on the allowable uses in the classification, the development standards for permitted and conditional uses, and removing unnecessary general provisions. Page 6 of 10
The allowable uses in the classification were amended to remove industrial uses; however, existing industrial uses would be allowed to remain and be improved or expanded as long as they expand only on the property on which they are currently located. This amendment to the industrial uses was to implement the Comprehensive Plan Amendment that was adopted in 2005. This amendment also included the introduction of a geographic limitation of properties on which commercial uses can be developed. In the original UMU zoning regulations, commercial properties could be developed on any property designated with the UMU zoning classification. The amendment in 2009 limited the development of commercial uses to only those properties adjacent to an intersection of Park Avenue or Deleon Avenue. Figure 4, below, illustrates the properties that are available for commercial development, and the current uses of those properties. Figure 4. Properties Allowing Commercial Uses This amendment addressed the development standard issues that had originally been created with the adoption of the zoning classification. The amended development standards included setbacks for residential that aligned with the existing development in the area, and included development standards for non-residential uses. This amendment to the land development regulations also removed some unnecessary general provisions including references to the subdivision and landscaping codes; removal of minimum storage areas for multifamily; and removed the requirement for the Area Impact Plan (AIP). Page 7 of 10
Existing Conditions The properties within the UMU zoning classification are comprised of a variety of uses in various locations. The tables below best describe the mix of uses currently within the zoning classification. Table 1 is a breakdown of the existing uses in comparison to the total number of parcels within the zoning classification. Table 2 is a breakdown of the existing uses within the UMU zoning classification as a percentage of total land area within the zoning classification. Table 1. Developed Parcel Inventory by Property Number of Percentage of Acreage Percentage of Land Land Use Type Lots All Lots Area Single-family Residential 80 52% 18.96 36% Multifamily Residential 16 10% 6.94 13% Commercial 13 8% 5.62 11% Industrial 17 11% 13.05 25% Park 1 1% 1.81 3% Municipally Owned 3 2% 0.75 1% Vacant 24 16% 5.95 11% 53.08 Total 154 lots 100% 100% acres As the table above demonstrates, there is no one major type of use on properties designated with the UMU zoning classification. Figure 5, below, best illustrates where these various uses are located within the boundaries of the UMU zoning classification. Figure 5. Existing Property Uses Page 8 of 10
Figure 5, on the previous page, also helps to demonstrate the disconnect between where nonresidential uses are currently located and where they are permitted per the LDR s. The UMU zoning regulations, as currently written, will also prohibit the establishment of non-residential uses along the recently completed Coast-to-Coast trail. The terminus of the trail is near the eastern boundary of the UMU zoning classification, which is not adjacent to an intersection of Park Avenue or Deleon Avenue. The only way to establish non-residential uses in this area is to proceed through the Conditional Use Permit process, which has application fees and takes approximately three months to complete. Figure 6, below, illustrates the location of the trail in relation to the boundaries of the UMU zoning classification. Figure 6. Coast to Coast Trail and Trailhead Location Page 9 of 10
Next Steps This report provides a summary of the history of the Urban Mixed Use (UMU) zoning district. The next step is for staff to explore options on how to accommodate the Coast-to-Coast trail and trailhead. Non-residential uses that cater to pedestrians and cyclists commonly locate adjacent to trails in other jurisdictions. Exploring options to accommodate these types of uses will allow for the stakeholders in the area to provide input and provide staff with valuable insight. The next step for staff is to meet with property owners and tenants in the area that may be affected by any changes proposed to this zoning district. This meeting will allow staff to solicit input from community stakeholders. This input will then be translated into an ordinance that will be presented to the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council for adoption. As additional information is gathered and prepared, staff will place the information on the City s website. Notifications of meetings and information availability will be sent to property owners and tenants in the area. Page 10 of 10